Guracha Adi, director at the Kenya Investment Authority (Invest Kenya), Antoinette Gawin, President and Chief Executive Officer of Terumo BCT, and Toshiaki Takagi, chairman of the board of Terumo Corporation, during the official opening of the new Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies Africa headquarters and training centre in Nairobi.
The training facility will support Kenya and the wider East African region by strengthening local capacity to use advanced technologies that improve access to safe blood, the company said.
Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies (Terumo BCT) is a medical technology company and global leader in blood management.
Kenya's national blood supply currently falls short of demand, estimated at 500,000 units annually based on World Health Organization guidelines.
Automation, improved processing and enhanced technical capacity can help close this gap.
The company said its new facility will help expand local proficiency in blood processing, apheresis (separation of blood components) and other technologies.
The event was also attended by Toshiaki Takagi, chairman of the board of Terumo Corporation, and Antoinette Gawin, President and Chief Executive Officer of Terumo BCT.
“This facility reflects our long-term commitment to Kenya and the region,” Takagi said. “By investing in local capabilities, we support stronger, more resilient health systems that can meet the needs of patients and communities across Africa.”
The training centre will offer hands-on training and education for clinicians, laboratory technologists and biomedical engineers. Participants will gain practical skills in technology operation, quality management and maintenance practices for Terumo BCT’s technologies, the company said.
The inauguration follows a series of high-level meetings between Terumo BCT’s global leadership, government leaders and health financing partners from December 1 through 3. Discussions focused on opportunities to accelerate progress in blood safety, sickle cell disease management and broader health system strengthening.
“Kenya is strengthening healthcare access and advancing medical innovation,” Gawin said. “We bring proven technologies suited to Kenya’s needs, and are committed to continued investment in training that unlocks their full impact to build healthier communities.”
Kenya is implementing Terumo BCT’s whole blood automation technology, a step toward modernising national transfusion services.
Guracha Adi, a director at the Kenya Investment Authority (Invest Kenya), officiated the opening.
He said: “Invest Kenya welcomes Terumo BCT’s decision to establish its Africa headquarters and training centre in Nairobi. This investment underscores Kenya’s increasing appeal as a regional hub for advanced medical technologies and capacity building. It aligns with our national agenda to strengthen healthcare infrastructure, enhance blood management systems, and support the country’s pursuit of Universal Health Coverage. We are confident that this facility will play a pivotal role in elevating technical expertise across the region.”
Terumo BCT’s customers include blood centres, hospitals, therapeutic apheresis clinics, cell collection and processing organisations, researchers and private medical practices.
The company’s products and technologies are used in more than 160 countries across the world.
